Personal Experiences

Hector:  Making a solar oven was a big accomplishment for me because it was completed within a short timeframe and it works! I have used what I have learned and with the help of my ever gentle partner Julie, we created something that is tied directly to survival and being independent. Cooking our own food without the use of fossil fuels or dependence upon any fuel except the radiation from the Sun is extraordinary.  It makes sense economically and environmentally to use a energy source that is free and a one time materials cost to construct this wonderful technology.  I clearly see our project as “appropriate” technology and believe this technology is one way to empower people.  I must say I felt frustrated at times with my partner and with our human errors.  But most of the time was very enjoyable and fun learning process.  I must send a big thank you to our supervisor and wood making specialist Senor Fernando Cache because without him I would be lost.

Julie: This being my first experience with solar box cookers I see it as a huge success.  I couldn´t ask for anything more then to have completed a project which successfully works and meets the criteria we had set out for it (not to mention its good looks).  Although throughout the entire process communication was difficult due to English-Spanish translations, I feel it made the experience that much richer.  In some regards having a partner to work with on this project may have made the process longer and more difficult.  However, overall  I believe that working with a partner increased the quality of the final project and I know it made all the time spent working on it more enjoyable.  The working situatation tested our friendship and made it stronger, leaving us with even more respect for eachother and pride in our project.  I plan on making another solar box cooker when I get back home, and hope to take it to the annual solar cook-off in Quincy, Ca.